


A Second Promise

by DeerWorks



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Read this if you want to feel pain, Romance, Under the Highwind
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:00:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26844802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeerWorks/pseuds/DeerWorks
Summary: “This isn’t real,” he told himself, squeezing his eyes closed because if he looked at her any longer he’d convince himself it was.He heard her footsteps approach him and felt her hand take his. He wanted to pull away but her hand was warm unlike the cold and motionless body he’d let sink into that lake.She brought his hand up to cradle her cheek, leaning into his touch.“Don’t I feel real?”Based off the theory that Tifa will die in future remakes because I like being sad for some reason.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	A Second Promise

_Go find what it is you’re fighting for._

That’s what he’d told them and they’d all listened. Red went back to Cosmo Canyon, Cid went back to Rocket Town to see Shera, Yuffie went home to Wutai, Vincent left without a single goodbye and didn’t tell anybody where he was going. Not even any of the crewmates remained. Barrett left with Aerith to go to Kalm and see Elmyra and Marlene. 

Before leaving Aerith turned, giving him a sad smile that he did his best to return as he closed the door.

Now he was left with an empty ship floating in the sky. He didn’t even know if they’d come back and honestly he wouldn’t blame any of them. But if it’s just him and Sephiroth then so be it, he’s got nothing left to lose.

Cloud tried busying himself with ship maintenance. Checking how much fuel they had, checking the chocobo food and shoveling her shit, sharpening his sword. _Zack’s sword._

He didn’t know how it happened or why. But when he fell into the Lifestream, another man came out. The real Cloud. He remembered who he was, he wasn’t a SOLDIER, he was no hero. He was a fraud who couldn’t protect the one person he promised he would.

His grip tightened on the handle of the sword. While everyone was around he didn’t show his emotions, Aerith tried, always asking if he wanted to talk despite him almost murdering her and all he could say every time she asked was “I’m fine.” He said it so convincingly he almost convinced himself but the bags under his eyes due to his lack of any sleep was evident in showing that he was not fine.

But now that he was alone, one lone tear leaked out of his eye and fell onto the blade, then another. He tried wiping them away but he couldn’t stop them once they’d started falling. He couldn’t stop the quiet sobs that crawled their way out of him.

“I’m sorry, Tifa.”

____________________________

  
  


Hours had gone by and no chores had helped alleviate his pain. Maybe it was the ship, despite how large it was it was too small.

So he found himself outside, staring up at meteor as it came crashing down onto the planet.

_Go find what it is you’re fighting for._

Everyone left and he was still here because what the hell was he fighting for. The planet? Sure but that’s what they were all fighting for. His friends? Maybe that was it?

No. He was fighting for Sephiroth. Tomorrow he was fighting so he could slice him to pieces until there was nothing left.

But once that was all set and done what was he going to do? Everyone would go home but he didn’t have anywhere to go home to. His home was destroyed twice. Both times by the blade of Masamune.

He could wander the world, continue being a merc and fight until he found something that could kill him.

_She wouldn’t want that for you._ That little voice in the back of his head told him.

_It doesn’t matter._ He responded. _She’s dead._

_You don’t mean that._

He tucked his legs into his chest. He was positive he was completely drained of tears after being stuck up in Highwind but apparently he was wrong as he felt another onslaught coming his way.

“Cloud?”

He froze. His mind was fucking with him now out of grief or some bullshit like that. Or it was Sephiroth, he hated him enough to help indulge in his misery.

“Cloud.”

There it was again, it sounded so real. It sounded the same way she’d said his name a thousand times before. The way she said it always made him feel warm, it always felt like coming home every time his name fell from her lips. He got up to his feet this time but didn’t look behind him.

_This is what he wants. You’ll turn around and she won’t be there._

“Cloud, please turn around.”

_Don’t do it. There’s nothing behind you._

But he could never deny her anything even if it wasn’t really her. So he looked and… she was there. Just as beautiful as the day he lost her. In her white tank top, black skirt and suspenders and her cute little red boots.

“This isn’t real,” he told himself, squeezing his eyes closed because if he looked at her any longer he’d convince himself it was.

He heard her footsteps approach him and felt her hand take his. He wanted to pull away but her hand was warm unlike the cold and motionless body he’d let sink into that lake.

She brought his hand up to cradle her cheek, leaning into his touch.

“Don’t I feel real?”

He didn’t know what this was, maybe he’d fallen asleep back on the ship and this was all a dream. Maybe he was still in Mideel and he never really escaped. Despite this he grabbed a hold of her and held her tight as if she’d disappear if he let go because who knows maybe she would.

“I’m sorry,” he sobbed and judging by the slight shake of her body she was crying too.

“You don’t need to apologize,” she attempted to assure him but he shook his head.

“I couldn’t keep my promise. I promised I’d be there when you needed me.”

“And you were,” she insisted. “So many times that I lost count.”

He shook his head again. “Not when it mattered.”  
  


“No, Cloud. You were there, even in Nibelheim. You were always there when I needed you.”

But how could she know that? She knew he wasn’t there, at least not in the way he’d described. Looking back on her silence whenever Cloud told everyone about his memories she must’ve known that unless her memories were somehow jumbled too. She must have noticed his confusion because she explained.

“When you fell into the Lifestream I could hear you calling my name… well, at least I think I did.”

So that’s why. That’s why when he emerged from the mako lake a different man with restored memories. Somehow, she’d found him and put him back together.

“You’ve always been there for me, even when I didn’t realise it,” she continued. “It was my turn to be there for you.”

“And… why are you here now?”

“I guess… I still need to be here for you.”

“And how?” He asked, to which she shook her head showing she didn’t really know either.

“Are you staying?” He asked, dangerously hopeful to which she shook her head again which meant she still didn’t know.

“I don’t know how I’m here so let’s not focus on ‘how’.”

He pulled her close again, holding her just like he did in Aerith’s garden but he made sure to not hurt her this time. Strong enough that nobody could pull her away from him if they tried, but soft enough that she wouldn’t shatter if she were glass.

“There were so many things I wanted to tell you,” he mumbled.

“We have time,” she mumbled into his chest.

“Well, now that you’re here… I don’t know what I really wanted to say. I guess nothing’s changed at all.”

She shook her head again, moving her head so her beautiful red eyes stared right into his mako green ones. “Cloud… words aren’t the only way to show people what you’re thinking.”

They most likely only had hours together and yet she smiled as if they had an eternity.

____________________________

  
  
  


Cloud opened his eyes to see it was almost dawn. He’d expected the weight on his shoulder to be gone by the time he opened his eyes again but she was still there. Lightly snoring and snuggled right up against him. “It’s almost dawn,” he muttered sadly, realizing she’d probably be gone soon.

“Huh?” She mumbled sleepily.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” He asked. “It’s almost dawn,” he said sadly.

“Oh…” she breathed, realizing what that probably meant. “Well, good morning Cloud.”

“Good morning,” he smiled. It was probably the first time he’d smiled in months.

She was still tired and her head went right back to his shoulder, her eyes falling closed again. “Just give me a bit longer,” she sighed. “This night will never come again… So let me have this moment with you.”

“Okay,” he agreed, snaking his arm around her waist and pulling her closer against his side. “This is probably the last time we’ll have together.”

“Cloud,” she mumbled, slowly losing consciousness again and falling asleep.

“Hm?”

“Could you make me another promise? While the stars are still out.”

He lifted his head slightly to look at her. Her eyes were still shut and her voice was barely audible, he could only hear because he was hanging on every word she said. “Okay.”

“Promise me that, no matter what, you’ll keep fighting. Keep living.”

His eyes widened slightly, looking down at her. That was a hard promise to live up to, to keep fighting when she wasn’t at his side while he did it. But maybe if he could keep this promise and live up to it, maybe he’d deserve her when he met her again once he’d passed on.

“I promise,” he said with conviction, planting a feather-light kiss on her head to seal it. He looked down at her face, saw that her shut eyes were brimming with tears but she was smiling. That was all the reassurance he needed, tomorrow he would fight and after tomorrow he’d keep living. For her.

He shut his eyes and slept until morning with her nestled into his side. When he awoke and his eyes opened… she was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> I've been trying to figure out how to write these two for a long time and after headache after headache I've decided to just write until I figure it out. So this was my first attempt at figuring it out. I'll try and write something that's not depressing next time.


End file.
